Just Do It!

 No-Stirrup November continues, and I feel I have been improving a little bit each time I ride. I will likely continue no-stirrup work through December as well, because I hope that it can help me gain a more solid, independent seat, and to post without balancing on my hands or swinging my lower leg.  It's interesting how much more evident these problems become when I ride without stirrups.

I lunged Lucky just before I rode her last, and she was splendid!  She went the best I have ever seen her gone.  Interestingly enough, she worked much better to the right, which in the past has been her weaker side.  Normally, she leans excessively on her inside shoulder went going to the right, and consequently, I have to use a lot of inside leg(or point a dressage whip at her shoulder in this case).  This time, however, she did not lean nearly as much, and most importantly, actually began seeking the sweet spot(roundness/stretching) on her own, after I set her up correctly(Laura worked with her before I lunged).  She was able to stay round for several circles without me having to constantly correct her by squeezing on the line.  It was spectacular.  Unfortunately, she did not do as well to the left, which is usually her best side, but these things happen as horses are trained

After having ridden with no stirrups for several times, I am able to more easily lift myself out of the saddle when posting.  However, watching my video from my first no-stirrup ride has made it clear that I have been balancing on my hands while doing this.  Because of this, the foci of my ride was not using my hands to lift myself out of the saddle.  Instead, I should use my core strength.  To help me do this, I ditched my hands entirely, putting them on my hips or stretching them out to the side instead.  By doing this, I had no choice but to use my core.  However, this aggravated another problem at first: my lower legs swung back instead on staying I place.  Again, this is a problem that I am pretty sure I have had before; it just has been made more evident now that I am riding without stirrups.

During the next trot set, I tried my hardest to keep my legs steady.  This time, I succeeded.  Afterward, I spent a few moments trying to memorizing exactly how that felt, so I could repeat it. Solid is really the only way I can think of to explain it.  It made glancing while posting much easier, and I felt much more steady.

Next, I held my arms out to me side, like an airplane, as I trotted quite a few circles around the round pen, posting in short intervals.   I could feel the burning in my inner thighs as I did this, but wanted to push myself just enough that increased my strength and endurance, but not enough to overdo it and get fatigued. Before long, though, I could even feel my arm strength begin to flag, and was relieved to to them on my hips and walk for a bit.  I worked like this for a it, sitting and rising the trot, and walking in intervals.  When I was done, I tried a two-point at the halt, because that is what Laura plans for me to work on next: two-point without stirrups.  It may be difficult, but it will be infinitely useful.  It will not only increase my strength and balance, but will also prepare me for accidents that can happen when riding a jump course.  I cannot count the number of times I've seen pictures of jumpers losing or breaking stirrups(or even bridles–yikes) while on a course. At any rate, it will be a great thing to learn.

To finish, I took a trail ride around the property to cool out.

No-Stirrup November!

I've been riding for two years now, and decided to start the third off by participating in No-Stirrup November for the first time.  Although I have ridden stirrup-less at the walk a couple times, and bareback at the trot, this will be my first time riding without stirrups for extended periods of time.  Riding western trail has really improved my ability to use my legs for steering; I am much less reliant on my hands than I have been in the past, and I know that I can ride on a loose rein without using it for turning now.   Now it is time to solidify my seat.  I will do that through riding without stirrups.  I am starting slow,  but I'm hoping to work up to riding longer and to riding the canter.

Lungeing

 Since Lucky has been on a mini-hiatus these past couple months and the whether has finally turned cold, and I lunged her before both rides.  It's part of my routine anyways, and besides allowing to let Lucky buck her crazies out, it gives me the opportunity to work her and prepare her for being ridden. When I lunged, I worked on flexing her head to the inside, bending her body, keeping her in an even rhythm, and making her become round.  With Lucky, getting roundness and bend often takes many repetitive light squeezes because she often looks to the outside.  I tried to catch her before she looked to the outside.  The lungeing on the second day was more successful than the first.  Laura lunged Lucky for a bit before me, showing me how to keep Lucky's head bent to the inside by squeezing the line just before Lucky looked to the outside.  She also showed me how to keep Lucky's body bent and how to prevent her from leaning, which she did by pointing the whip at Lucky's girth, using it as an inside leg.  Ideally, a horse she be flexed to inside, bend along their ribcage, and round, what Laura calls "the sweet spot."  She always waits until this moment before making any transition. After a while she handed the line over to me.  Under her guidance, I worked on the same things at the walk, trot, and canter.

No-Stirrup November

The improved seat, increased strength, and yes suffering(no pain, no gain, right?) of No-Stirrup November begins for me.  The first day, I only rode for twenty minutes or so.  Laura lunged me so I could focus on my position as I rode, although I did work on spiraling the circle in and out, so I did control Lucky in some respects.  

The stirrups come off for the month! No turning back now. ;)

The walk was not too taxing, though I could still feel my thigh muscles working.  It was the trot that was the real killer.  Although I was riding without stirrups, Laura wanted me to rise at the trot rather than sit, which proved quite strenuous to say the least.  My lower leg swing and I could barely rise out of the saddle.  What Laura was discovered is that I have been bracing against the stirrups and using them to rise out of the saddle, rather than supporting myself with my calves and only moving my knee and thigh to post.  My legs are also often far behind me, but that is something I've known for a while. More no-stirrup work should fix both of those things! My thighs were like jello afterward; it is strenuous work.

Click here for video.  I'll have a comparison video next month.

I would say that I did better the second day.  Again, I was lunged and focused on getting my position correct: my legs at the girth, my elbows at a 90 degree angle, my upper body straight, and my inside shoulder bent slightly back.  I was successful at the walk.  However, it was more difficult at the trot.  During the trot, I sat for a circle before posting, and posted in short burst of a few strides at a time. When I did this, I felt I bit more solid, but my hands, which held the reins with no contact, were not as still as they should be.  Still, I worked on it and did quite of bit of trotting, but only for several times around the round pen at time, as I did not want to get fatigued.  

Afterward, I rode around the ranch on my own for several minutes, trying my best to not use my hands to turn Lucky.  I was able to turn Lucky in the trail and on twenty meter circles with just my legs!  

The no-stirrup work will continue throughout November, and maybe even through December.  I'm hoping that I can try cantering without stirrups by the end of the month; I'm sure the work will greatly improve my canter.  That's the goal anyways!  It will be tough, but it will be worth it! Is any one else doing No-Stirrup November?